Fearing complacency among the American people over possible terror
threats, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said in Chicago Tuesday
that the nation faces a heightened chance of an attack this summer.

"I believe we are entering a period this summer of increased risk,"
Chertoff told the Chicago Tribune's editorial board in an unusually blunt and
frank assessment of America's terror threat level.

"Summertime seems to be appealing to them," he said of al-Qaeda.
"We do worry that they are rebuilding their activities."

Still, Chertoff said there are not enough indications of an imminent plot to
raise the current threat levels nationwide. And he indicated that his remarks
were based on "a gut feeling" formed by past seasonal patterns of
terrorist attacks, recent al-Qaeda statements, and intelligence he did not disclose.

There is an assessment "not of a specific threat, but of increased vulnerability,"
he added.

There have been reports already that suggest intelligence warnings at a similar
level to the summer before Sept. 11, 2001 and that al-Qaeda may be mobilizing.

In recent days, ABC news reported that a secret law enforcement report prepared
for homeland security warns that al-Qaeda is preparing a "spectacular"
summer attack. On Tuesday, ABC News also reported that "new intelligence
suggests a small al-Qaeda cell is on its way to the United States, or may already
be here."

Chertoff sternly echoed those sentiments at the Tribune.

"We've seen a lot more public statements from Al Qaeda," he said.
"There are a lot of reasons to speculate about that but one reason that
occurs to me is that they're feeling more comfortable and raising expectations.

"We could easily be attacked," Chertoff added. "The intent to
attack us remains as strong as it was on Sept. 10, 2001."

The dire warnings and Chertoff's comments come as the Bush administration faces
political and business opposition over its immigration and border policies that
have security implications.

With stiff blowback on those issues, the administration has been unsuccessful
in efforts to enact broader security measures - ones opponents fear are too
costly, unnecessary and infringe on people's rights.

In a wide-ranging interview with the Tribune that lasted more than an hour,
Chertoff said, too, that the recent failure of Congress to pass an immigration
bill has negative repercussions for homeland security and will lead to continued
federal crackdowns on illegal immigrants.

Resistance has built as well, he said, from business and travel interests blocking
his proposals to tighten security at the borders - especially at the crossings
with Canada.

In the end, Chertoff argued, Americans must soon decide between enduring greater
inconvenience and costs or allowing terrorists easier access to the borders.
He warned against increasing resistence to security measures based on comfort
and self-centered motives.

"If you get to complacency then I guarantee you we will lose the race
with the terrorists," he said.

A recent terror plot in London and Scotland has America's defense system on
alert, Chertoff said. He urged Americans to be attentive if something appears
suspicious.

"If you look at that picture you see an enemy that is improving itself
just as we're improving ourselves," he said. "They can't afford to
remain static just as we can't afford to remain static."

On a local level, Chertoff cited Chicago's technologically savvy police department
and its use of street-corner, blue-lighted cameras as a blueprint for strong
homeland security.

"I think the use of cameras here and other technologies is a model for
the country," he said

Over the next 18 months, as the Bush administration draws to a close, Chertoff
said he plans to put security tradeoff options before the American public.

"The public has to make the choices," he said.

If border crossings are not tightened with stricter document regulation because
of economic oppositions from business interests, then Chertoff predicts possible
dire consequences.

"What do you think is going to happen to your business when a guy comes
across the border with a phony document and blows up a target in Buffalo or
Detroit?" he asked. "Do you think the American public is then going
to allow the border to remain open?"

There will be security repercussions from Congress' failure to pass immigration
reform. Chertoff hoped granting a path to citizenship to illegal immigrants
would cut away "the tall grass" hiding criminal elements among the
undocumented workers.

But now, Chertoff said, his agency must uphold current laws and that means
a further crackdown on workplaces.

"We are going to do more law enforcement actions," he said.

Conceding the raids are "going to be ugly" and tear parents from
their children who wonder why they have not returned from work, Chertoff warned:
"the consequences are going to be tough from an economic and humanitarian
standpoint."

Noting that he was disappointed at Congress' failure to pass a bill, Chertoff
singled out committees that included members like Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa)
and Sen. Max Baucus (D-Montana) as impediments to his homeland security initiatives.

Letters released Tuesday to the Tribune from Grassley's office reveal a bickering
back and forth between Chertoff and the senators in June. The senators wrote
that Chertoff was misleading in his characterization of their efforts to amend
the immigration bill. Their intention, they said, was to avoid burdening employers
with expensive checks of all employees and or force the release of tax information
on employees.

With the bill tabled, Chertoff said he plans to now concentrate on a variety
of security plans including filling in security gaps by more closely monitoring
private aircraft entering the United States and intensifying coastal checks
in less secure areas outside of the strictly-patrolled ports.

"We have done a lot to degrade the enemy's capability," he said.
"But the enemy has also done a lot to retool its capability...It leads
me to feel we ought to be more vigilant."